Hanson Belts Grand Slam; Bulldogs Sweep Brown

PROVIDENCE, R.I. - Kyli Hanson hit a grand slam home run and Christina Guerland had two hits, including a homer, and three RBI as Yale cruised to a 9-1 victory over Brown in the first game of an Ivy League doubleheader at the Erickson Athletic Complex. In the second game, KR Ling scattered eight hits and struck out three as Yale edged the Bears 3-2. With the victories, the Bulldogs reached the 20-win mark for the ninth time in the last 11 years.

Guerland's solo homer leading off the fifth snapped a 1-1 tie. Yale added another run later in the inning. Edwards doubled and was replaced by pinch-runner Lauren Huddleston, who moved to third on Megan Enyeart's ground out and scored when Jessica Meyer reached on an error.

The Bulldogs manufactured another run in the sixth. Sloan drew a leadoff walk and promptly stole second. She moved to third on Guerland's sacrifice bunt and scored on Hanson's sacrifice fly to left.

Yale broke the game open by scoring five times in the seventh. Meyer worked a walk to start the rally. She was erased on Aracelis Torres's fielder's choice. Meredith Parks then singled and Blachford walked to load the bases. After the second out, Guerland walked to force in a run, and Hanson followed with her grand slam, a blast that easily cleared the left-centerfield fence.

Rebecca Wojciak pitched the first four innings to earn her team-leading seventh win of the season. She allowed only two hits and struck out five. Holly Gutterud tossed three innings of scoreless relief to notch a save.

Brown (8-31, 1-17 Ivy) scored first in the second game on Kelsey Wilson's RBI single in the first inning.

The Bulldogs took the lead in the fifth. Allie Canulli led off with a single off the pitcher and moved to second on Tracy Timm's sacrifice bunt. Hanson walked and then both runners advanced on a passed ball. Canulli scored when Huddleston reached on an error, and Sloan drove home the second run with a sacrifice fly to left.

A fine defensive play by Sloan helped thwart a Brown rally in the bottom of the fifth. Brittany Lavine led off with a single up the middle, but when she took too wide a turn rounding first base, Sloan gunned her out from centerfield. Liz Anderson followed with a single, but Ling retired the next two hitters.

Yale added a run in the seventh. Hanson doubled off the center field fence, moved to third on Huddleston's sacrifice bunt, and scored on Guerland's clutch two-out single to left.

The insurance run proved important when Brown's Katie Rothamel homered leading off the bottom of the seventh.

The same two teams will play a doubleheader in New Haven on Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.